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Pine Barons - Reaper
Pine Barons - Reaper

Pine Barons - Reaper


On “Reaper,” a song off their recently released album Mirage on the Meadow, Pine Barons combine psychedelic instrumentals and vivid lyrical imagery to deliver a haunting track that truly rocks; perfect listening for this, the spookiest of seasons. The tone is firmly established within the first few seconds, as a series of long atmospheric tones from the synth drape themselves over the drum and guitar lines. Before the lyrics come in you have already been set on a meandering walk through the dark forest in your mind. 

Songwriter and vocalist Keith Abrams cleverly illustrates the concept of scattered thoughts in the pre-chorus where, utilizing different production effects, he plays two intertwining inner monologues: one perpetually questioning, and one confident in its defeatist statements but not offering any answers. From this back and forth bursts the hook, which delivers everything you could ask for in a great rock chorus. It’s melodic, it’s powerful and it stays with you long after the song has ended. For much of “Reaper” there is an expertly curated sense of movement, like some physical manifestation of inner anxieties is stalking you at a distance. The closing guitar solo and coda, which layer in melodic callbacks from earlier sections, bring about a feeling of envelopment, like that fog of fear has finally caught up and engulfed you. Photo by Chris Sikich.

Emerson Obus on October 23, 2020
Courtney Barnett - Everybody Here Hates You

Courtney Barnett - Everybody Here Hates You


Australian songwriter, Kurt Vile collaborator, and notable left-handed guitarist, Courtney Barnett is back with a new single, "Everybody Here Hates You," released as a Record Store Day exclusive. The title, though, does not indicate any sort of mean-spirited dig. Instead, the song is a look inside a mind plagued by insecurity. Barnett is no stranger to this level of candor in her music. Her most recent full-length album, Tell Me How You Really Feel, featured the track “I’m Not Your Mother, I'm Not Your Bitch,” and her lyrics often bring surprising life to the mundane and straightforward. “I feel stupid / I feel useless / I feel insane,” she opens, “I get my hair cut / I feel the same.” Already, in this first line, she introduces a drawl in her affectation on “i-i-i-insane” present throughout the song’s sluggish chug, like it’s taking every ounce of effort she has to sound this effortless. She’s uncharacteristically optimistic in the anthemic breakdown, shouting reassuringly, “We’re gonna tell everyone it’s okay.” Still, her judicious use of the tremolo bar in the final guitar solo reminds us of Barnett’s truly singular songwriting voice.

Daniel Shanker on April 19, 2019
Biomes - Everything I Need

Biomes - Everything I Need


Queens-based songwriter and producer Sam R. (aka Glassio) has listeners wrapped in a psychedelic, dance dream with his new alt-electronic project, Biomes. In the debut single,“Everything I Need," Sam uses elements of Persian music with electro-synth beats and indie-pop vocal stylings to create a unique brand of dance music that will keep you engaged yet entranced. “Everything I Need” begins with a subtle hum that then grows and stays consistent throughout the song. Soon, it’s joined by well-blended layers of synths, percussion, and floaty vocals that take us down a rabbit hole of sound. As the current of the song ebbs and flows, the lone singer is suddenly joined by a swelling chorus who lament for the remainder of the track—“One of these days I’ll wake tomorrow, I want to see the sun come up the way, I used to know.”

Alessandra Rincon on April 19, 2019
 Izzy Heltai - Marching Song

Izzy Heltai - Marching Song


"Marching Song" is the latest release by indie-folk songwriter Izzy Heltai in anticipation of his full EP out April 19th. Izzy's simple and often nomadic life is deeply reflected in his music. An unusual power and constant movement dominate his storytelling. There is a quality to his voice that is very timeless and comfortable, even when the lyrics tell a stirring story. "I couldn't tell you through the telephone / that I am not myself / I am not myself anymore." The horns and keys throughout the song offer a contrasting softness to the raw guitar. Izzy delivers a refreshing voice in the folk community. There is something very delicate, yet purposeful about his instrumentation and songwriting. You can catch Izzy Heltai on tour in the United States and Canada this fall.

Sophia Theofanos on April 19, 2019
Beauty Queen - Sold You Out

Beauty Queen - Sold You Out


“Sold You Out,” a new song by Beauty Queen, will make any day feel like a Sunday afternoon. The band, hailing from San Francisco, is due to release their forthcoming EP, Out of Touch on April 19th via Brooklyn’s Sleep Well Records. "Sold You Out" is truly pleasant and comforting, and sometimes, especially these days, that’s the kind of song we need. It’s a track that makes smiling at the fresh spring leaves seem like an entirely normal and not dorky thing to do. Yes, synth dream pop is all the rage right now, but Beauty Queen has truly hit the nail on the head with what the genre is trying to achieve. Even though "Sold You Out" is full of synths and simple chord patterns, it’s layered in an unpretentious yet non-basic way. Like many other west coast bands, Beauty Queen appears to be drawing from artists like Washed Out and Tennis, but there's still something distinct about what they're doing. Take a listen and see what I mean, I swear I’m not over-selling it.

Samantha Weisenthal on April 18, 2019
Middle Kids - Real Thing

Middle Kids - Real Thing


Indie alt-rock trio Middle Kids dive into the “lifelong quest for meaning” and touch on feelings of inadequacy in the expectations of one’s life in their latest track, “Real Thing.” The Sydney natives begin the song with a wavering, somber-sounding guitar intro paired with singer Hannah Joy’s attention-grabbing vocal sighs. Once the chorus hits, all three members come together to create a bittersweet melody backed up with fuzzed-out guitar and pulsing percussion. As a whole, the single is effortlessly layered and contains touching lyrics like, “Don’t it ever make you feel sad / Is this is the real thing.” This enables listeners to pick up on the song's themes of vulnerability and emotional isolation—staying true to this narrative of constantly searching for “meaning” in a world that doesn’t provide you with a clear path to happiness.

Alessandra Rincon on April 18, 2019
Big Thief - Cattails

Big Thief - Cattails


Big Thief’s new single “Cattails” feels like home. The major key is somewhat desirous and dreamy, and vocalist Adrianne Lenker’s upward inflections make the song feel like the sight of a car rolling up a gravel driveway it’s been away from for too long. As Lenker sings out, “And the clusters fell, like an empty bell / Meteor shower at the motel / Where the empty space is a saving grace / Making good time and doing well," the star brushed poetry of this song reverberates through the soul. Filled with endless grace, "Cattails" builds a kinship between the music and the listener that is satisfying in its broad nostalgia.

Ben Burke on April 18, 2019
Junaco - Willow

Junaco - Willow


Northern California duo Junaco balance the warm and inviting with the haunting and suspenseful in their latest track, “Willow.” Singer Shahana Jaffer provides dark, smooth vocals that linger, leaving the listener hanging on to her every word. The vocals float above plucky, bellowing guitar lines that when combined create eerie and atmospheric soundscapes. The track is an emotional one that shifts and bends from its gothic, folky open to a sonically bright wave of warm Americana guitar tones. The duo then change things up even more by switching vocal duties and throwing some shimmery indie pop guitar and expressive drums into the mix. This variety expresses a full spectrum of emotions, but cleverly keeps it all connected so that we can also “feel the room.”

Alessandra Rincon on April 17, 2019
Field Medic - henna tattoo

Field Medic - henna tattoo


Field Medic’s “henna tattoo” combines acoustic strings and lo-fi beats to create a cathartic analogy about the temporary and mercurial nature of love. Singing “I’ve been feeling so insecure/ like is it gonna come true if i say it?/ rolling blackouts in your heart/ gave you a henna tattoo/ and it’s fading,” Field Medic beautifully uses the imagery of a henna tattoo to allow listeners to conceptualize and empathize with the universal experience of love’s tribulations. “Henna tattoo,” the fourth track off the album, fade into the dawn is a cool, calm song that feels like an upward swing. It sound marries indie folk and lo-fi, resulting in something fresh that’s definitely worth a good listen.

Ben Burke on April 17, 2019
Halima - Do Better

Halima - Do Better


Halima, New York City-based R&B songstress, continues to skillfully fuse together electronic music with bedroom pop and soul to create something both new and nostalgic in her latest single, "Do Better." The track is a reflective self-love ode with an upbeat hook that complements her soulful and warm R&B voice. With catchy, heartfelt lyrics like, “I’m bet betting on love to keep up / When the going gets tough, I won’t let ya down / When you having bad days, Imma be around,” Halima expresses to listeners that it’s time to finally put herself first. With its retro beats, consistent, bluesy guitar lines, and well-blended harmonies and vocals, “Do Better” is an uplifting track with the ability to pull you out of any funk—reminding you that you too “can do better.”

Alessandra Rincon on April 16, 2019
Papercuts - Comb In Your Hair

Papercuts - Comb In Your Hair


Having recently taken time away from his personal practice to lend his talents to the production of recent Beach House and Cass McCombs projects, Papercuts has returned with three track EP, Kathleen Says. Humming waves of synthesized warmth and a rich, metallic guitar are the only accompaniments to songwriter Jason Quever’s conversational candor on "Comb In Your Hair," the final track off his latest project. Memory plays a significant role in the lyrical narrative of the tune, while Quever’s dreamy remembrances cast a gauzy sheen over the sleepy, low-fi instrumentation. “And your eyes fell back in your head / to a place inside the light just couldn’t get” repeats a slightly gritty, emotionally affected voice following a series of lyrical tableaus that sift through intimate memories—seeking perhaps both comfort and gold.

Emma Bowers on April 16, 2019

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